Burned Black Beans

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.

Burned black beans once made me break down into a puddle of tears. It wasn’t just the burning of the beans that made me fall apart; it was the feeling of utter failure—like I was dropping all the plates I was trying to juggle and they were crashing at my feet in a thousand pieces.

Have you ever felt this way? When life seems out of control, one small mishap quickly becomes monumental. Case in point: burned black beans. The charred dinner wasn’t really the source of my problem; rather, it exposed my inner struggle to let go of my plans and trust God’s guidance and provision.

As I scraped the beans into the trash and ran hot, soapy water over the pan, the Lord showed me that I am not meant to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders.

I was reminded that day that I am limited, finite. We all are. Our strength and resolve go only so far until we become depleted. A tipping point inevitably comes, forcing us to wave our white flag and accept our limitations. It is only when we rely on Christ rather than ourselves that we experience his miraculous strength (see 2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

In the Kingdom of God, weakness is the entry point to experiencing Christ’s power. Jesus never told us life would be easy, our tasks would be effortless, or our calling would come naturally. Instead, he told us:

• He will be with us always as we proclaim the gospel (see Matthew 28:19-20).
• God will provide for all our needs through Christ (see Philippians 4:19).
• He will be our peace (see Ephesians 2:14).
• There’s no need to fear because he is always near (see Isaiah 41:10).
• All God’s promises find their yes in Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 1:20).

Black beans may still get burned, but they don’t have to bury our hope in Jesus. When a small problem becomes a mountain in our lives, it’s time to bow our pride before the Lord and receive his peace, strength, and refreshment (see James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6-7). He is God; we are not. And that’s a good thing.

That means we can set aside the plates we’re juggling in an attempt to keep the world spinning. Christ carried the weight of the world in the form of a cross so we don’t have to carry it ourselves (as if we could!). We are limited and weak, but he is strong and faithful.

Fortified by that truth, we can face small problems like burned dinner—not with a song of sorrow, but with a song of praise to God, who carries us all our days.

Word before World Our limitations point us to God, who is faithful to provide for our needs and able to sustain us through every setback.

Grow in Grace Think of a time when something small became monumental. How did you respond? How can you turn to Christ in moments when life feels overwhelming?